Conveyer



H. Z. COBB June 16, l1931.

coNvEYER' Filed May 1. 1929 Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED 'STATES PAlvENirv f oFFicE HENRY z. COPB,OP- PROVIDENCE, RHODE IsLANDgnssroNon frofitEvEnn RUBBER,

COMPANY, OPOHELSEA, MAssAoH'UsE'r'rsA CORPORATION or RHODE ISLAND. y

CONVDYER Y Application led May 1, 1929..A iSeralnvN'o. 359,444.

This invention relatesto a device for moving or conveying photographic films.

In the art of photography,y one of the types of mechanism for photographing involves a e" machine for making a series of photographs at a very low oost, the mechanism for mak-` ing and developing the photographs being largely automatic. In this type of photographic machine the pictures are made on a strip of photographic film. Thev photo-L graphic film is then passed successivelyV through a series of tanks containingv thek proper developing and washing solutions. In order to conveyvthe photographiclm through these solutions, a largely automatic g mechanism is required, and heretofore such mechanism as has been employed forv this purpose has had the objection that the con-k the moving' members which operate to move the photographic films contact only with the marginal portion of the vlilm thereby obviat-A ing any danger of marring the surface of the film and kat the same time providing sufficient traction to move the lm in .a satisfactory manner. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which: v Y

Fig. l is an elevationpartly in section of a conveyerembodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on lineQ-KQ, of Fig. l, and Y Fig. 3 is a detailfview showing one of the rollers which constitute the moving elements of the conveyer.

. Y The conveyer consists ofa frame made up 1 of side elements 1-1 which are rigidly held in spaced relation by the cross rods 2 disposed at various points along the length ofthe side members.l These elements are preferably made of hard rubber.

A series of rotatable members such as hard rubber rollers 3 .are disposed along the length` ofthe frame and are carried upon `shaft-s 4 rotatably mounted in the frame. gears 5 are mounted upon the shafts 4 where`-V by the rotatable membersy may be driven in rotation from the gearing system 6 which derives its motion from any suitable source of power acting through the shaft 7. Intermediate gears 8 for forming driving connections between the various rollers 3` are mounted upon shafts 9 suitably' journaled in the side`-V members 1 of the-frame.

rlhe side members l of the frame are provided'withy slots 10 extending 'from the outer edgethereof for a short distance inward-y ly, the 'various slots being in line with the shafts 4 of the rollers 3. Spools 1l carried` on shafts12 are mounted for rotation in-the slots' l() andrare urged towards the rollers by means of elastic belts 13 which extend over pulleys 14 mounted upon'the ends of shafts l2. The rollers ySand the spools ll'are provided with rubber'tires 15 which take the l form of'an elastic washermounted in suitable grooves in the'rollers and spools. These rubberv tires 15 arelaterally spaced apart a. s'uiiilr cient distance as to contact with the margin Spur ofthe photographicfilm'passing throughy the Y n conveyer; f

In the operation ofthe device aV photographic film such as shown at 16 is introduced into the conveyer preferably at the point 175 V(Fig. 2)' and upon motion of thek driving mechanismA the rubber tires upon the 'rollers and spools grip the margins of thephotographic film and movey the same' throughthe conveyer.- The elastic' belts y13 press the rub,-

the film into intimate contact with the elastic ber rtires of the spools into 'intimate contact i `with the l film' and atthe same time press tires of the rollers 4 so that a non-slippingy grip: between thefilm of the rubber tires is obtained.` v.Ajblock 18 is positionedk at the bottom l of 'the `conveyer and provided with a curved Vface which'actsto direct the end of the film` around the bottomy roller'and to 1 Y cause the `film tobe'returned in the' reverse y direction p'astfthe opposite sides ofthe rollers 3. `Grooves 19 are provided in theside memberslthrough which the iilm passes and 'l which serve to guide the film and maintain it in properly spaced relation with respect t0 the rollers 4 and the spools ll.

Insofar as possible all of the various ele` ments of the machine described are made of rubber so that the reagents used in developing the photographic film cannot attac-l the same, such metal parts as are used being covered with rubber insofar as possible. The use of rubber in the rubber tires is advantageous inasmuch as the rubber will grip a. surface of the film even though it is Wet.

While rubber tires have been mentioned as the most desirable form of gripping means, other materials than rubber may be made satisfactorily and the form of the tire itself may be varied as by employing studs of rubber or other similar materials about the periphery of rollers, the kind of material and the form of the tire being limited only by the requirements that they provide a sufiicient traction upon the surface of the photographic film and only at the margin of the film. tires on the spools into intimate contact with the photographic film may be varied such as by substituting endless spiral springs for the rubber belts l?) or by providing any suitabie form of stationary type of spring` for thrusting the spools inwardly toward the driven rollers. Other types of driving mechanism than that herein shown may be used, as Will be obvious to one skilled in the art, and all of the modifications herein suggested as Well as others Which Will occur to one skilled in the art are contemplated as part of the present invention, insofar as they are included Within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A. conveyer for photographic films and the like comprising a frame, a series of driving members rotatably mounted in the frame, driven members mounted for rotation in the frame, there being driven members on opposite sides of each of the driving members, means on each of the members for gripping the margins of a film, and mechanism for operating the driving members` Q. A conveyer for photographic films comprising a frame, a series of driving members rotatably mounted in the frame, driven members mounted for rota-tion in the frame, there being driven members on opposite sides of each of the driving members, rubber tires mounted in spaced relation on each of' the members, tires on adjacent members being arranged to grip opposite sides of the margin of a film, and mechanism for operating the driving members,

3. A conveyer for photographic films com-- prising a frame, a series of driving members rotatably mounted in the frame, driven members mounted for rotation in the frame, there The means for pressing the rubber of April, 1929.

HENRY Z. COBB. 

